1. Field
The described embodiments relate to electronic devices. More specifically, the described embodiments relate to the configuration of electronic devices.
2. Related Art
As small form-factor electronic devices such as smart-phones and tablet computers have become more widely available and more computationally powerful, users have begun imagining new types of uses for the electronic devices. For example, it is becoming more common for institutions (e.g., schools, museums, churches, etc.) and commercial enterprises (e.g., airlines, tours, bars, etc.) to provide users with such electronic devices for temporary use, allowing a user to check out an electronic device, use it, and return the electronic device.
However, security and privacy problems can arise when using the electronic devices in this way. These problems can arise because, for many of these electronic devices, data and settings on the electronic device are generally available to anyone who is using the electronic device. For example, when an electronic device such as a tablet computer is used by students in a school setting (e.g., for a chemistry lab or as a research tool in a library), documents created by the student can be available to anyone who subsequently uses the tablet computer. This problem becomes particularly apparent when groups of users will be sharing a small number of electronic devices.